Explosions
by nodelinquent
Summary: A series of explosions can change everything and make you question what you thought was real. Oneshot, Leo-centric, hints of turtlecest.


**Cover art is by the lovely comfycozysweater on tumblr.**

**Warning: Story contains gore and hints of turtlecest.**

* * *

Leonardo wakes up to the scent of breakfast and the laughter of his brothers.

Fingertips brush against the back of his neck. "Morning Leo." He swats at Don's hand, catches it, squeezes it playfully.

"Morning Donnie." Holds his hand and gaze a few seconds.

Lets go.

* * *

"Everyone got the plan?" Leo gives Mikey a look. "You too, Mike?"

The turtle nods. "Got it! Uh, I think. Maybe explain it one more- OW, Raph!"

He sighs. Explains one more time.

* * *

"So, you and Casey aren't talking anymore?"

April kicks at some garbage on the sewer floor. "Not until he apologizes." She scoffs.

"Apologize? What did he do?"

Green eyes blazing. "None of your business, Leo."

Ooookay, lover's quarrel.

As long as it doesn't jeopardize future missions.

* * *

Leo pulls the blanket over himself, yawns, gets comfortable.

Hears the familiar knock on the door. "Leo?" Donnie.

He smiles.

* * *

"_City hall is still putting most of their resources to clean up the damage caused by the big explosion at TCRI last ye-_" Donatello turns off the radio, tugs at Leo's bandana tails, causing the oldest to almost choke on his cereals.

"You didn't take out the trash yesterday."

Leo blinks. "I thought it was Mikey's turn."

"That was monday, Leo."

"Sorry, must have been tired. I'll take it out today."

* * *

"Oh come on, April, you can't give me the silent treatment forever!"

"Casey, be quiet!" Leo sneers, the human shooting him a glare but complying. "Okay, everyone. When the Kraang drops off the shipment, Mikey and Raph will work as a distraction while April and I…"

* * *

The Kraangdroid grabs his arm, flings him into a wall.

He can feel his shoulder almost dislocating.

That's gonna leave a mark.

* * *

Nuzzles into the pillow.

Knocking.

"Leo, are you awake?"

* * *

He wakes up, smiles at the smell of freshly made pancakes.

* * *

Raphael grunts as he shovels pancakes into his mouth, he's got a black eye. "It's nice to see fearless barely got scraped last night."

"Hey, I didn't get off easy! A Kraang almost broke my arm, I got a nasty bruise and everything!" He rubbed his arm, but the motion didn't cause the feeling of soreness he expected it to, and when his eyes searched for a bruise, there was none.

His arm was completely normal.

"Yeah, you look real bent out of shape, Leo." Raph drawled. "Maybe you should take today off."

* * *

"...therefore I believe the biochemical isn't- Leo, are you listening?"

"Hm?" Leo looks up from the glowing green goo in the bottle in front of him, looks at his brother. "Yeah, yeah, go on."

Don studies him, brown eyes glancing up and down his body as if he's looking for something.

Waiting for something.

"...as I said, the biochemical isn't explosive in itself, but…"

* * *

The sounds from the TV is becoming more and more distant. His eyes flutter closed. His body tingles.

"Leo?" Soft whisper, lips against his cheek. "Come on, Leo. I'll take you to bed."

* * *

He startles awake at the sound of an explosion.

* * *

They're all rushing to the lab, black smoke pouring out of the open doors where Donatello is standing, coughing and heaving, leaning heavily against the frame.

Something makes Leo step back, the hand that was reaching for Don stops midair.

_He's not gonna make it they're not gonna make it he has to do something has to save them everyone save everyone. Smoke and fire and he can't see and his body is too hot but he has to do something has to-_

"Donnie!" Raph is there, he puts Don's arm over his shoulders, takes him away from the smoke. Leo soon helps him.

* * *

"...will need some new supplies from the junkyard, we may have to raid some military ones even… didn't think it would react like that… I'm sorry, Leo…"

* * *

Head against pillow.

Knock on the door.

Don's hand against his cheek.

* * *

Wakes up.

There's no explosions or smoke this morning.

What a beautiful day.

* * *

"So, you and Casey aren't talking anymore?"

April gives him a look. "We're _still_ not talking, no. And it's _still_ none of your business, Leo." She walks away.

..._Still?_

* * *

"Hey, Leo." Raphael sits down next to him, legs apart, one elbow leaning against his thigh, hand rubbing the back of his head. "About what happened with Don-"

"It's okay." Too quick.

"Bro, I know it's not okay… You always get weird when stuff like this happens after… after."

"I don't wanna talk about it." Gets up.

"Leo-"

Walks away.

* * *

Drops down on the bed.

His body feels weird again. Headache. Leo groans and closes his eyes.

Door knocks. "Leo?"

* * *

Morning. Headache gone.

Feeling good.

* * *

"You forgot the trash again."

"Again?"

* * *

Sleep.

Knock.

"Leo, come here…"

* * *

Opens eyes. Feels good.

* * *

"I can't believe you, Casey Jones! You still don't get why I'm upset, do you?!"

"Maybe if you just TOLD me-"

Leans towards Don. "What's going on?"

Whispers. "They've been like this for days now, Leo."

"I haven't noticed that."

* * *

Headache. A good night's sleep will-

Door creaks open. "Leo."

Donnie.

* * *

Leo can smell omelets from the kitchen.

* * *

"So when the Foot attacks-"

"Uhm, don't you mean the Kraang?"

Pause. "Yeah, yeah, the Kraang."

* * *

"You've been off since the other day with Don, Leo."

* * *

"My son, perhaps you would like to join me in meditation?"

* * *

"Leo come, come here…"

* * *

When Donatello comes to get him in the evening, Leonardo never hesitates. He follows him, eyes half-closed, dragging his feet, yawning as they walk into the lab.

"Sit here."

Leonardo drops down on the medical chair. He doesn't really recognize this part of Don's lab, it's smaller and not as brightly lit. But his vision is a bit blurry, and his body is all tingly, like when his arm is falling asleep only this time it's his entire being.

"Something damaged your memory. But I think I know how to fix it now." Is Don talking to him? He turns his head towards the olive-skinned turtle, blinks at him. Donatello has his back turned towards him, he's tinkering with something Leo can't see.

Maybe if he closes his eyes for a few seconds…

Hand on his shoulder. Jolts awake. "Shh, shh, Leo." Needle. "It's okay." A soft kiss on the top of his head. "It's gonna be okay."

Leo lets out a sigh, closes his eyes again. It'll be oka-

The doors to the hidden lab slams open, Raphael and Michelangelo bursting inside. "Leo!" Raph is there in an instant, tackling Don to the floor.

"No!" Don screams, the two begin to wrestle on the floor, the needle falling out of Don's hand.

Leo stares at first, tries to climb out of the chair, fumbles and slams into the ground. Mikey helps him up. "Leo, Leo bro are you okay?"

"I knew it!" Raph yells, having finally pinned Don beneath him. "I knew it was too good to be true! What the hell did you do to Leo, huh?!"

What did he do? Leo's body isn't tingling anymore, it's hurting. It burns and itches and he wants to tear off his skin but when he looks nothing is wrong, everything looks normal but it's not normal it's-

He shoves Mikey away, takes a few stumbling steps backwards.

"We needed Leo! The team was falling apart!"

Carapace bumps against something solid.

"Dammit, Donnie - what did you _do_?! How did Leo survive?!"

Looks back. It's huge, covered in a sheet.

"It was just a temporary solution until I could fix him!"

Leo grabs the sheet, pulls at it.

"_Fix_ him?! What have you-"

Silence.

Michelangelo lets out a strangled noise. "Oh god-"

"He's still alive, I can fix this, Raph I'm sorry, but I _can_ fix this!"

Raphael says nothing.

And Leonardo stares.

Inside the large test tube _it_ floats. It's missing an arm and a leg, the rest of the body burnt and bruised beyond recognition, shell and plastron filled with cracks, half of its face melted off with only one eye left.

An eye that seems to be staring right at him.

He can hear Raphael vomit behind him, Mikey's hyperventilating, Don's pleading… Everything fades into the background, becomes meaningless noise.

_Kill me._

Kill himself? No, that wasn't his own thought. _It_ was speaking to him.

_Kill me._

No, not _it_. _Leonardo_.

_Kill me._

The _real_ Leonardo.

His body is still burning. It's going to be too late soon. He has to do it, the voice is begging him. He looks around, grabs the closest chair.

Don's shrill screaming. "_NO!_"

The tube shatters in an explosion of glass.

And then the clone's body explodes as well.


End file.
